Out With The Old, In With The New!

I suppose I have had some exciting changes in my life since I last updated, so I should catch you up with what is going on and why I have been gone so long! First of all I just moved into a new apartment and I am still unpacking. I am so excited for this new place and my new roommate, because we have been good friends for about a year and a half already. My internet situation is a bit rocky still. My router is being difficult and I have misplaced the box with the instructions. I am hooked up to the signal of a friend who lives in an apartment 2 floors down. I hope to post pictures of my new place shortly. (Just as soon as I finish unpacking.)

Another big change right now is that I just received acceptance to go to Thailand for a student teaching placement in May. I will be teaching at a private school in Bangkok for two months! Of course I am hurrying to get my paperwork in order and to get the appropriate vaccinations, etc. There should be a meeting in the next week or two so that our group can cement the details. More news about that soon, I am sure!

Tonight I am working on a couple projects for the Education program. The first one is a critical review of an excerpt from Ross Greene's Lost at School: Why our Kids with Behavioural Challenges are Falling Through the Cracks and How We Can Help Them. This is for my Child Development class, and while I love to write reviews I learned from my last submission that my prof is not really looking for my opinion on the piece despite the assignment description saying so. Not wanting to lower my A+ average from last term I will tread lightly this time around. Luckily, I am finding this particular excerpt more agreeable anyways. It is entitled "Kids Do Well if They Can."

My other project is to create an Illustrator Study for my English Language Arts class. I chose Canadian Illustrator Michael Martchenko. He is most famous for illustrating books by Robert Munsch and also Allen Morgan. I was fascinated to learn that Michael Martchenko has written 2 books of his own. I loved his book Ma, I'm a Farmer, although I think it would have been a more effective story if he had left out the last line.

Here is an interview with Michael Martchenko about his work with Robert Munsch:


In my spare time I am instructing workshops for youth every Saturday, creating a website for my grade 5 class, and preparing for a 45 minute workshop on Engaging Modern Readers (with Technology) that I will be presenting at WestCast student-teaching conference at the end of the month. Oh yes, and Saturday is my nephew's birthday! I think he will love the Thomas the Tank toy I found for him. (Luckily he is turning 2 and as of yet cannot read this.)

I have been thinking about some interesting ideas lately and will share them with everyone very soon. As for today, I feel my entry is almost too long to hold everyone's attention much longer! But before I go just a reminder to enter my Short Story Contest if you haven't already. I have received a few entries already but I would love to see more. (Check out the details below!) Also, don't forget to stop by on February 18th when I will post my interview with Author Tami Jackson as part of her virtual book tour! Peace everyone!